Back row: Matt Farrer, Louise Perez, Jake Stock, Steve Newman, Shannon Harrison, Joe Geoghegan, Danny DeagFront row: Kirsty Saunders, Thea Sparkes, Julie Turner, Jo White, Gabby Roy, Tracey Alexander, Nichola Deag, Andrea Smart, Heather Snowden
Leading pet care franchise We Love Pets recently treated their franchisees to a relaxing retreat day in Suffolk, in place of their regular annual conference.
We Love Pets franchisees normally spend their days running their businesses walking dogs, feeding cats, horses, guinea pigs, snakes and any other kind of scaley, furry or feathered pet. For a day off, they were invited to Fritton in Suffolk to take part in a day of total relaxation with franchise owners Jo and Ryan White.
The company, who are members of the BFA (British Franchise Association) and who have recently been awarded ‘ethical’ status by the Good Shopping Guide, designed the day around ‘self-care’, recognising that a franchisee’s mental and physical health is key to the success of their business and is recognised as such by the franchisor.
Jo said: “Reconnecting and getting back to basics was beneficial for everyone. It highlighted how mental well-being drives business success and gave our franchisees some valuable tips to share with their teams.”
The day started off with an hour-long Pilates session, that included mobility and strengthening exercises, specifically designed by instructor Fiona Abbott to help with dog walking.
Next event on the agenda was a nature walk around Fritton Lake with nature expert Matthew Stevenson. During the walk the group, who spend many hours a week outside in the countryside walking dogs, learned about foraging mushrooms and the use of willow and stinging nettles.
After a break for lunch, attendees were treated to a yoga session with instructor Nickie Pollett which, through various poses, performed in a position that was comfortable for each person, focused on self-nourishment through stretches.
Breathwork with Steph Cabrera was next, with franchisees practicing breathing techniques aimed at relaxation, stress relief and mindfulness. Latterly they explored a technique designed to connect with the subconscious mind.
The final session of the day was Riijooviness with Sue Alexander, where franchisees learned about energy yield, hormonal support, immunity and healthy habits for a busy outdoors lifestyle.
Marshmallows around the firepit concluded the day, giving them a chance to reflect on what they had learned, share stories and connect.
Steve Newman, director of We Love Pets in Norwich said: “It felt good to be nourished by the different experiences and to return home totally relaxed and blissed out. My favourite segments were the country walk with Matt, such a knowledgeable guy with a lovely energy and great delivery of information. I also really enjoyed the breath works lady. Her session was totally different to what I’ve done before and resonated very well with me.”
Gabby Roy, director of We Love Pets Cambridge agreed: “It was really lovely to get together with other franchisees without a work focus. Also having a day out and relaxing was amazing, we don’t get the chance to do that very often!”
Managing director Ryan White summed the event up: “What a day of recuperation, engagement and reflection. The retreat was exactly what we needed and showed our commitment to our family-first business ethos. It’s so easy to just do what you have to do and scrape by; this isn’t what we want our franchisees to do, which is why we laid on this retreat, thanks to all that attended.”
For more information about owning your own We Love Pets business, please visit their website https://welovepets.care/franchise/
